22 Sura al-Hajj [Pilgrimage], Medina 103


The Quranic text and Ali’s version




أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا...

22:39. To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged --

C2816. Several translators have faded to notice that yuqatalina (in the best-approved texts) is in the passive voice, "against whom war is made", -not "who take arms against the unbelievers" as Sale translates it.

The clause -and verily ... their aid- is parenthetical. Verse 40 connects on with "they are wronged". The wrong is indicated: 'driven by persecution from their home, for no other reason than that they worshipped the One True God'.

This was the first occasion on which fighting -in self-defence- was permitted. This passage therefore undoubtedly dates from Madinah.

...وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ ﴿٣٩﴾

and verily, Allah is Most powerful for their aid --


الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَن يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ...

22:40. (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right -- (for no cause) except that they say, "Our Lord is Allah."

...وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ...

Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another,

C2817. To allow a righteous people to fight against a ferocious and mischief-loving people was fully justified. But the justification was far greater here, when the little Muslim community was not only fighting for its own existence against the Makkan Quraish, but for the very existence of the Faith in the One True God.

They had as much right to be in Makkah and worship in the Ka'bah as the other Quraish; yet they were exiled for their Faith. It affected not the faith of one peculiar people. The principle involved was that of all worship, Jewish or Christian as well as Muslim, and of all foundations built for pious uses.





...لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ...

there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure.

...وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ...

Allah will certainly aid those who aid His (cause);

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ ﴿٤٠﴾

for verily Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (Able to enforce His Will).




Asad’s version


22:39 PERMISSION [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged 57 - and, verily, God has indeed the power to succour them -:


(22:40) those who have been driven from their homelands against all right for no other reason than their saying, "Our Sustainer is God!" For, if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, 58 [all] monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques - in [all of] which God's name is abundantly extolled - would surely have been destroyed [ere now]. 5 ' And God will most certainly succor him who succor His cause: for, verily, God is most powerful, almighty,


(22:41) [well aware of] those who, [even] if We firmly establish them on earth, remain constant in prayer, and give in charity, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong; but with God rests the final outcome of all events.



Other versions


22:39

M. M. Pickthall

 

Sanction is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is indeed Able to give them victory;

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Shakir

 

Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them;

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Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)

 

To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid;-

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Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)

 

To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, God is most powerful for their aid;-

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Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

 

Permission was given to those who are fought against because they, they were wronged. And, truly, Powerful is God to help them,

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Wahiduddin Khan

 

Permission to fight is granted to those who are attacked, because they have been wrongedGod indeed has the power to help them

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T.B.Irving

 

Those who have been wronged are permitted to fight [back]-since God is Able to support them-

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[Al-Muntakhab]

 

Those who have been attacked by the infidels who waged war against them for their belief in Allah are permitted to fight in defense of the wrong inflicted on them; Allah is indeed Qadirun (Omnipotent) enough to afford them help.

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[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)

 

It is permitted for those who have been persecuted to fight. And God is able to give them victory.




22:40


M. M. Pickthall

 

Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah - For had it not been for Allah's repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down. Verily Allah helpeth one who helpeth Him. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty -

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Shakir

 

Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause except that they say: Our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah's repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah's name is much remembered; and surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.

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Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)

 

(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah". Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).

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Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)

 

(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is God". Did not God check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monaster ies, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure. God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).

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Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

 

those who were driven out from their abodes without right because they say: Our Lord is God! If not for God driving back humanity, some by some other, cloisters would be demolished and churches and synagogues and mosques in which is remembered in it the Name of God frequently. Truly, God will help whoever helps Him. Truly, God is Strong, Almighty.

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Wahiduddin Khan

 

they are those who have been driven out of their homes unjustly, only because they said, Our Lord is God. If God did not repel the aggression of some people by means of others, cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of God is much invoked, would surely be destroyed. God will surely help him who helps His causeGod is indeed powerful and mighty.

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T.B.Irving

 

any who have been driven from their homes unjustly, merely because they say: "Our Lord is God [Alone]." If it were not because God repels some men by means of others, cloisters, churches, synagogues and mosques where God´s name is mentioned frequently would have been demolished. God supports anyone who supports Him-God is Strong, Powerful -

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[Al-Muntakhab]

 

They -the Muslims- were unjustly ousted from their homes for no reason other than expressing their thoughts in words, thus: "Our Allah is the Creator of the whole and of all in all". And were it not that Allah represses some people by others, monasteries, churches, synagogues oratories and mosques, where He is much remembered and His glorious attributes extolled would have been demolished and reduced to a useless form. But Allah does indeed help those whose purpose is to serve Him and advance His cause; Allah is indeed Qadirun and Azizun (Almighty).

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[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)

 

The ones who were driven out of their homes without justice, except that they said: "Our Lord is God!" And if it were not for mankind being pitted against one another, then many monasteries, synagogues, contact-methods, and temples where the name of God is frequently mentioned would have been destroyed. God will give victory to those who support Him. God is Powerful, Noble.